SIMON Tomlinson and Shenique Clare were crowned men’s and women’s singles champions, respectively, at the 2016 National Table Tennis Championships held over three days inside the National Arena last week.

Both Tomlinson and Clare retained their titles for the second consecutive year as the defending champions, having won last year.

It was a repeat of last year’s final between Tomlinson and Kane Watson, which the former won 4-2 in the best-of-seven sets. This time around, Tomlinson defeated Watson, a former men’s singles champion, 4-1 (11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9) in Sunday’s men’s singles final.

Meanwhile, Clare met former women’s singles champion Yvonne Foster for the first time in the National Championships final and outplayed her by winning the contest convincingly 4-1 (11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-3).

Tomlinson said after his victory that he did not expect such an easy win.

“My performance was very good as I made certain of coming out victorious. I think I was also much quicker than my opponent who plays well and never gives up easily,” Tomlinson said.

The 24-year-old Tomlinson, who plays professional league table tennis in Sweden, and who also represented Jamaica earlier this year at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Malaysia, said his next move is to play for Jamaica in the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships this year.

Watson, in his defeat, said: “My game was not up to my usual standard, so I need to go back to the gym, as I was not quick enough. Tomlinson was much faster than me in his approach and came out victorious.

“He played some excellent shots and played well. I will be well prepared for him the next time,” said Watson, who is the number two player in Jamaica and who also represented the country at the World Table Tennis Team Championships earlier this year.

Clare said: “I was a little bit nervous playing her in the final as this was the first time. After winning the first set and getting my shots working, I relaxed and gained my composure.

“I did not expect to defeat Foster so convincingly, but I did what I needed to do, like playing my shots and going on to win,” said the 27-year-old Clare.

Meanwhile, the men’s doubles final was won by the pair of Mark Phillips and Rudolph Sinclair, who defeated Samuel Lamont and Rajani Brown 3-1 (10-12, 13-11, 13-11, 14-12).

Shenique Clare and Onika Francis captured the women’s doubles title by defeating the pair of Brittany Murray and Andrea Wadsworth 3-1 (11-2, 9-11, 11-4, 11-3).

The men’s rural singles was won by Mark Phillips of St Catherine, who beat Rudolph Sinclair, also of St Catherine 3-0 (11-3, 12-10, 11-8), while the women’s singles final was won by Andrea Wadsworth from Portland, who beat Brittany Murray 3-1 (11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8).

Samuel Lamont and Andrea Wadsworth captured the mixed doubles title by defeating the pair of Kemal Russell and Yvonne Foster in straight sets 11-7, 11-6, 11-7.

St Catherine captured the men’s team event title when they beat Portland 3-1 in the final, while Clarendon were winners of the women’s team event, beating Portland and St Andrew in a three-way round robin tie.

The Men’s Over 40 singles was won by Roberto Byles, who came from two sets down to beat Alphanso Morris 3-2 (11-13, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-7), while the Under-2000 rating open singles was won by Shayne Frost, who beat Kyle Davidson 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 12-10).